


The Director

by mommywrites



Series: Random Akuma [9]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-20
Updated: 2020-11-20
Packaged: 2021-03-10 00:22:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,393
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27644762
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mommywrites/pseuds/mommywrites
Summary: The director from Animaestro wants to make a film about Ladybug and Chat Noir.
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Series: Random Akuma [9]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1805482
Comments: 3
Kudos: 14





	The Director

**Author's Note:**

> Just an idea ...

“Just because she is a hero, doesn’t mean she’s perfect.” The film director protested to the mayor Bourgeois. “She can make mistakes … and, in fact, just because she is a character in the film I’m making, it doesn’t mean that all the other girls should behave just like her and that everything she does is right … “

“Well, I’m perfect, that is why she doesn’t let me be a hero again.” Chloe cut in lazily with no regard for the fact that she interrupted the film director. “And those rules she invented are stupid, secret identities? Why would anyone keep their identity a secret but wear a skin tight suit that leaves little to the imagination?”

“That suit design is a disgrace!” Audrey cut in. “There is no elegance, no style, no taste and the dots? She’s been wearing the same suit for almost a year now. No design lasts that long and though several seasons! No, we should help our fabulous heroine and style her look into something more appropriate to a person of like her.”

“But Monsieur … “ The director looked at Andre with pleading eyes. “This is the city where artist have always been allowed to feel free to do their art, my scriptwriter wrote the story and my costume designer wants to recreate the look of the heroes as close to real life as it could be while we let our imagination … “

“The story is ridiculous, utterly ridiculous!” Chloe smashed her hand on the pile of papers on her father’s desk. She glared at the director who was sitting on a chair in front of the mayor’s desk, but the man chose to look at the mayor himself while Andre shifted uncomfortably in his seat just behind the grandiose desk of the mayor of Paris.

“Chlorine, I mean, Chloe, darling, we agreed that you will be nice and not let your feelings rule your behaviour.” Audrey scolded gently. “You know how your dear father … “ She walked over to the man and gently wrapped an arm around Andre to Chloe’s disgust. “ always supported you on your every whim … “

“Perhaps Mademoiselle would be interested to audition for a role in the film?” The director was becoming desperate. He was selling his soul there, but he wasn’t promising anything when he offered an audition, he wasn’t offering a main role and he still needed permits, so many permits and so much paperwork and hopefully help from the police department and the firemen and …

“Whim? It is not a whim! Here Ladybug makes mistakes. And you made her civilian identity despicable. A poor clumsy teenager who is always nice and forgiving but never gets the boy she loves? How can she do so many stupid things and get away with it? I did one mistake, I revealed my identity and she never forgiven me!” Chloe stomped her foot.

“Now dear, let the story teller tell the story he wants, I am more concerned about the costumes. As you must be aware we are living in the fashion capital of the world, we cant have those bland designs for the costumes of the heroes nor those obscure designs for the villains, oh no, after all, this is New York!” Audrey raised her fist to the air.

“We are living in Paris, dear.” Andre prodded gently. “Remember? We decided that we will all live together in Paris? You moved back with us from New York? You wanted to spend more time with your husband, that’s me, and our dear daughter, Chloe?” The man spoke cautiously as if any of the two might explode at any moment.

Audrey huffed and crossed her arms, then she looked to the side, away from everyone and through the window. “Oh, so that is why all the buildings are so old and low.” She muttered to herself. “Well, as I was saying” She continued. “The costume design of the villains and the heroes is horrible.”

“But madame, these designs are just reflecting the reality, this is how the heroes and the villains looked in the real life, it is only when we come to their civilian identities that our costume designer let his imagination flow and designed the outfits, because we do not know the real identities of … “ The director was explaining patiently.

“Well, in that case I say the heroes should fire whoever designed their outfits, this is ridiculous, utterly ridiculous, I mean, and the villains themselves, no imagination at all, and the akuma, what is with all the masks? Why the masks? Are they trying to hide their poor skin tone or the fact that they do not know how to appear make up properly?” Audrey continued.

“Well, this is not an animated film, it is acted and we have to give the actors the outfits in which they can actually move, as for the masks, it is common that the miraculous hides the identity of a person by using some sort of facial covering even on the akuma, am I correct? The real akuma are able to transform, but for that we will use the special effects … “ The man explained.

“This story is stupid! Why is this fancy heiress portrayed as a bully? Nobody understands her! She is the one who is bullied by the presence of all those people below her! And why do you make this pitiful girl that is civilian Ladybug always right, she is wrong! She is all wrong! And why does Ladybug have to win each time? Why wouldn’t she lose?” Chloe ranted.

“That would make an interesting turn in the plot of the film.” Audrey confirmed. “Indeed, we could make it in the style an art nouveau films, in black and white, like a new wave of existential crisis with villains who have real life issues and whit whom the viewers can identify while we could make Chat Noir an anti hero ...”

“Do not even mention that mangy cat! And to think that Ladybug has higher opinion of him than of me, her biggest fan! She had the audacity to send the bee miraculous to me through him, she even didn’t come to deliver it herself. This only shows how poor is her judgement. And to think that he only wears everything black with that stupid bell around his neck.” Chloe rambled.

“Actually, dear, men and boys are considered stylish in black, a black suit is often demanded and the golden bell is nice and elegant personal touch.” Audrey elaborated unperturbed by the fact that her daughter continued to ramble on and on. The film director and the mayor of Paris just looked at each other helplessly. “And come to think of it … “

“The idea was to make the film realistic, to show the real struggles that the teenagers face each day and to add the fear of becoming an akuma to that and the stigma that might come along with it and then there are two teenagers who are actually superheroes who have to keep secrets from their friends and family.” The film director elaborated while Andre nodded in agreement.

“We want to show our respect and gratitude to our heroes and we do not want to portray them as perfect, we want to show that we do not think any less of them even if they make a small mistake and we do not want to pressure them by criticizing their every move or their appearance.” The film director continued to talk while both Audrey and Chloe became uncharacteristically quiet.

“And we want to show our gratitude to our heroes, this is why I think they should win in the end, besides, making a film in Paris about Parisian superheroes is a great idea and the city of Paris intends to support it all the way as long as you portray the support the city government is showing to the heroes and release the film before the next elections … “ Andre cut in.

“Why would the heroes have to win? That is so boring, so last year.” Audrey shook her head and continued to speak in her self centred way. “Indeed, the film should be more of an art film, not so black and white, villains should not be flat side characters in the background of a silly romance, we should feel for the villains, we should understand their motives!”

“Exactly!” Chloe exclaimed so loudly she even surprised herself while the rest of the group flinched and turned towards her. “Perhaps who we see as a villain in the beginning is not actually evil but a confident and self respecting man who just wants what belongs to him in the first place and who does Ladybug think she is to decide to whom to give a miraculous or not?”

Mayor Bourgeois looked at his daughter desperately, then at his wife, then at even more desperate film director, then back at his wife and then at his daughter, he was giving up, it was obvious in his eyes. The film director felt the mood in the room switched and he had no chance to win this argument, he wasn’t making the film he wanted, at least not the way he wanted it.

“In order to have a proper existential film noir, we have to make the villains and the heroes related!” Audrey exclaimed. “They should be friends … “ She looked around. “Or family, yes, they should be a family!” She clasped her hands. “The heroes should be in love with each other but never together to emphasize their suffering.”

“Chat Noir is already chasing after Ladybug in a most disgusting way.” Chloe cut in and examined her nails. “I would have been far more respectful companion that he could ever be.” She released a forced exasperated sigh to emphasize her words. “And Ladybug never showed him his place, I should have known she doesn’t deserve my admiration!”

“Yes, Chat Noir! The villains should be actually his parents, to mark his bad luck in real life, so he becomes a hero in spite of the people who surround him, not that he knows, and his parents don’t know either, but he needs tragic background to be an anti hero like he deserves, perhaps his mother died, or is missing, or both ...” Audrey was too immersed in her own imagination to notice anyone.

“That is so cliché … “ The film director muttered to himself. He just needed a few permits signed and endorsement from the mayor of Paris to use public places for filming, close them for public temporarily, use the police force and the firemen and other emergency services when needed but it was just a few papers to sign, no big deal, for a city like Paris, right?

“And he should have a nice and polite personality as a civilian, rather opposite to how he acts as a hero.” Audrey continued her creative rant. “But he should be so beautiful to be irresistible in both forms, people tend to forgive and adore persons who they find attractive ...” Andre did not even bother to interrupt her. The film director looked at his script with desperate eyes.

“That is not true. Nobody ever forgives me for what I am.” Chloe protested, but the only person who took notice was her father, her mother was too consumed with the creative process and the film director was engrossed in his self pity, those were all his ideas, but somehow this was becoming someone else’s film, not his.

“A strong and creative man is being ignored, his ideas are being dismissed, nobody notices him, nobody listens to him, while his knowledge of Ladybug and Chat Noir can only be useful for the purpose I need.” Hawk Moth pondered in his lair before he released an evil butterfly. A violet butterfly fluttered to the film director and entered his watch.

“Director, I am Hawk Moth and I give you power to direct people around you.” Hawk Moth spoke his usual offer to the film director while a violet mask adorned the man’s face. Nobody took notice of him until he agreed to the deal and transformed, the watch transformed into a film camera and the pen he was holding in his right hand transformed into a director’s stick.

“I am the Director! You are all going to act the way I want you to!” He ordered and pointed his stick towards mayor Bourgeois. A flash of light hit the mayor and he suddenly straightened up and smiled. The next ray of light hit Audrey who turned into a black and white image of herself with an unlit cigarette at the end of a long cigarette piece and finally the lightning bolt hit Chloe who, at the first glance remained unchanged.

“And action!” The Director exclaimed and aimed his camera at the three other people in the room. At first, all three were motionless as if they awaited further instructions. But then they started to move, one by one, Andre was the first one to do anything, and that was to fetch the pile of papers on his desk and start signing them.

“This film is going to be an artistic masterpiece, I can already see the prizes for costumes and cinematography.” Audrey pondered and sucked on the long cigarette piece (but the cigarette was not lit). “We need to make sure that the light is perfect, early morning or late afternoon, dimly lit, maybe cloudy for more dramatic scenes, and it is always better if … “

“Mum! Since when are you smoking?” Chloe demanded. She raised her hand and tried to reach for the cigarette piece to take it away, but Audrey took it out from the girl’s reach and continued her rant about the artistic impression of the film that was about to be done. But Chloe wasn’t giving up. “Mum! Give me that! I let you go to New York and you ...”

“Come on, darling, leave your mother alone, please, it is not even lit, she is holding onto it just to compliment her style.” Andre noted and then returned back to signing all the necessary paperwork. He looked unaffected by his daughter put (which was never the case unless he was under influence of an akuma).

“Director, go and find Ladybug and Chat Noir.” Hawk Moth instructed from his lair while a violet mask glowed over the face of the akuma. Director jumped out from the city hall through the window and started to hit each of the pedestrians in the street. They remained motionless and awaited further instructions, while their colours and clothes had changed.

**** Meanwhile in the Agreste mansion. ****

“Your father wants to talk to you in his office.” Nathalie informed Adrien and stood there waiting. The boy looked at her with worried eyes, he was sitting in front of his TV and watched a film with a notebook in his hands. Plagg was hiding on his side and licked the remaining pieces of cheese he just annihilated. “I’m sorry he did not let you watch the film with your friends.” She added.

“The meeting is about … “ She continued to talk to encourage the boy to get up quickly, and maybe prepare him for the forthcoming meeting. “I’m not supposed to warn you, but you should star in the new film about Ladybug and Chat Noir, your father thinks it will be a good promotion for your name after you did the voice acting for the her and almost acted in the video.”

“I … will be there in a minute.” Adrien pretended he had to make a few notes and waited for Nathalie to go out from the room. “Plagg, this is a disaster, everyone will recognize me in Chat Noir suit, I barely avoided making the video, and voice acting was difficult, fortunately they got my lines all wrong so nobody recognized but a film?”

“Will they have Camembert as props for the film?” Plagg asked and rubbed his full belly. “Because if they want to make it realistic, they need a kwami and a lot of cheese to feed one, I was thinking, there are several kinds I could recommend to the director, you know, just to be realistic, and it should be a real cheese not just the props and … “

“Too bad you can’t be seen on the camera, Plagg.” Adrien smirked. “Otherwise, you should audition for the role.” He snickered. But Plagg was thoughtful (which was never good). “Besides, I doubt the film makers even know about kwami and what kind of a glutton you are, otherwise they would be over their funding.”

“You know, maybe I could be seen on camera if I wanted you? Maybe if I was wearing some clothes or something? Do not just give up on me yet. Besides, it would be nice to star in a film by your side and have unlimited takes of the scene where you give me cheese … “ Plagg would continue to ramble but they got out from Adrien’s room.

“This is an excellent opportunity to enhance your visibility! I have made sure to be engaged in design of all the costumes for the film, and will base our next fashion line on them, of course, and expect our sales to rise after the film is aired … “ Gabriel elaborated on his ingenious business deal with a huge grin that never reached his eyes.

“But father, acting in a film, that will take considerable time for me, between the school and all the extracurricular activities and modelling I do not have the time as it is … “ Adrien tried to make his case based on the absence of time, he really did not want to act Chat Noir in a film, he was certain that someone was about to make the connection.

“In case the school takes too much of your time, I can always pull you out … “ Gabriel knew exactly what he was saying when he pronounced those words. Even Nathalie flinched a little when she caught the meaning. That man knew how to negotiate. She observed how Adrien sunk in his seat, the boy was ready to admit defeat.

“Okay, I will audition for the film, and if they take me, I will manage my time better, father.” Adrien promised. He knew what to do next, he was going to be terrible at impersonating Chat and they were going to find another actor to fill in that part. If he was any good at acting, then he was able to pretend to be bad at it, right?

“Oh, there is no need for an Agreste to audition, the role is practically written for you.” Gabriel grinned. “But now I have other urgent matters to do.” He dismissed his son without further words, because he sensed the creative anger he needed, and another akuma that could help him get the earrings and the ring.

“This is a disaster Plagg.” Adrien slumped on his bed with his arms wide. “I have to pretend I’m bad at pretending to be Chat Noir so they sack me although my father pushed me into the role. Nobody should ever recognize me, ever!” He continued to rant in his despair while Plagg pretended he did not care.

“You are surprisingly good at pretending you’re nothing like Chat Noir and you don’t even know it kid.” Plagg muttered to himself. The tiny black cat snickered to himself as he thought of a certain pigtailed girl with and without the red suit with black spots. “Don’t worry kid, humans are stupid, nobody will recognize you.” He added and rolled over the bed lazily.

“Why did I ever think that doing an assignment on a film would be better than doing it on a book, Tikki?” Marinette sighed in front of the computer screen. “The suits and dresses are all nice and elegant, and the hats and the shoes too, but the mood is so … sad and frightening at the same time and somehow has the air of … inevitability?” Was that even a word?

“Because the film takes an hour and a half and you need a few days at least to read the book of several hundred pages.” Tikki chirped in helpfully. “Besides it was Nino and Alya who initiated the idea, remember?” And it was the little goddess of creation who supported it fully, her chosen needed to sleep more.

“Yeah, I remember … it was another of Alya’s plans, we were all supposed to watch this together.” Marinette tapped on the computer screen with her pencil. “But now Alya has to mind the twins, Nino is watching it with Chris and Adrien … well there was little chance for his father to allow Adrien to watch this film with us.”

But the conversation was cut short with the news from Alya that there was another akuma active in the city. She even posted a video, a live stream, that she made from her balcony, at first there were Ella and Etta going wild, then she showed the Director in the street below and started to report on the akuma attack.

“Oh, another story teller, just like me.” The Director exclaimed when he observed Alya and her reporting, he did not hit her right away, Marinette screamed at her screen (uselessly) for Alya to run away and hide, but all her efforts were futile, the computer screen did not transfer the message, Tikki shook her head and Marinette screamed when Alya got hit.

Ladybug hurried across the rooftops, she knew exactly where she was going, she had to defeat the akuma and set Alya free of his will. There were no particular signs of battle yet, most of the persons in the streets walked peacefully, just in clothes that belonged to a different time period, and their hair style was far neater than on any other day.

“Hey Bug!” Chat greeted her on the way. “Rushing to star in the most recent adaptation of the adventures of Ladybug and Chat Noir?” He teased with a crooked smile on his face.

“Hey Chat.” She greeted back. “The akuma calls himself Director, he uses that stick as a weapon but controls only those minions where the camera is directed at.” She peeked behind a chimney. “I saw him in action over the live stream on the Ladyblog, the blogger got hit and … “ She shuddered at the memory of her friend being hit.

“Yeah, I saw it too.” Chat confirmed and shuddered beside her. “So I guess the akuma has to be in one of the weapons.” He continued and leaned over beside Ladybug. “The Director stick or the camera, hmmm.”

“I vote for the stick, he uses it to make lightning bolts.” Ladybug noted.

“I vote for the camera, because camera loves me.” Chat replied.

“Just, please, don’t get hit!” Ladybug warned and shook her head.

“You know I will always protect you my lady!” Chat smiled gently and Ladybug had to smile back, but her heart ached for him, because she cared too much for him to see him hurt, even if she wasn’t in love with him, not the way he wanted her to be.

They jumped in front of the akuma simultaneously when they noticed that the Director approached a square with a lot of people on it that were not yet affected, they had to intervene and save the civilians, that was why they had superpowers, that was why they wore those cool suits, it was their duty, to put themselves between the powerless and the danger.

“Ladybug and Chat Noir!” The director exclaimed and aimed his stick at the two heroes. The lightning bolt reached the heroes. Chat Noir jumped in front of Ladybug and rotated his staff as a shield, but he got hit anyway, his suit changed only a little, because now part of his chest was white, as if he was wearing a white shirt underneath a black suit, and underneath the bell there was a tie.

“I can’t believe you still have that bell.” The Director shouted and aimed the stick again. This time Ladybug pulled Chat Noir to the side. But the Director was fast and after he aimed a few times, he hit both of them. Ladybug’s suit turned black, but the surfaces reflected red when the light was from the right angle.

“There, a perfect material for an evening gown for a diva, and you still wear it as a gymnastic body suit.” The akuma was frustrated. He stomped his foot on the ground and the asphalt crumbled under the pressure.

“Looking good, Bugaboo.” Chat Noir teased and pretended he was fixing his tie, which was in fact only a black surface on his suit.

“He doesn’t control us unless he points the camera at us.” Ladybug grinned. “Maybe we still have our powers.” She called for the lucky charm and got a package of glitter.

“Never stylish enough, aren’t we my lady.” Chat teased and pulled her to hide behind a pillar of the nearby building, because the akuma was about to aim the camera at them.

Ladybug was tempted to pour all the glitter all over Chat Noir just to make him shut up. She had to focus, she had to find a solution before the akuma found them and aimed his camera after them, and that was going to happen any second now. She observed her surroundings and the jar of glitter in her hands growing anxiety because the precious seconds were passing.

“you know, for a moment there, I thought you were going to pour all that glitter over me.” Chat muttered while he kept guard and Ladybug just behind him to act as a human shield between them. “Uh oh.” He stopped when he noticed that the akuma did not find them, but he did find another group of civilians and aimed his stick at them.

“Of course! You’re right Chat Noir!” Ladybug grinned.

“Yeah.” Chat grinned proudly when he heard that he was right.

Ladybug poured glitter all over him.

“What?” He hissed.

“Go there and protect the civilians. She threw him in the path of the stick that aimed towards the civilians.

“Anything for you my lady!” Chat replied while he flew.

The ray hit Chat and reflected back towards the Director.

“Now Chat, go after the camera!” Ladybug shouted and jumped after the Director. “I’m going for the stick.”

The Director aimed his camera towards Chat, but all he got was his own distorted reflection on the hero’s chest.

Ladybug snapped the stick.

There was no butterfly.

Chat used cataclysm on the camera.

A violet butterfly flew out and Ladybug cleansed it.

“See, I was right.” Chat grinned.

“Yeah yeah yeah.” Ladybug smirked. She let him have his fun.

They bumped their fists.

“I told you that all the cameras love me.” Chat teased.

Rather confused director observed the two heroes with interest. Here he had the exact heroes he was making the film about. And he was in the middle of an avenue in Paris, but he wasn’t filming yet, he did not remember this scene, it wasn’t even in the script! But they looked different, not in their usual suits, and that confused him even more.

Ladybug rolled her eyes and threw the empty jar in the air to call for the Ladybug cure.

Chat Noir and Ladybug were back in their usual suits.

The Bourgeois family was back to normal and there was a pile of unsigned paperwork on the desk.

Everyone else was back to normal too.

“What happened?” The Director scratched his forehead confused. He searched for any clues around. “The last thing I remember was in the office of the mayor Bourgeois … “ He trailed off, he started to replay the conversation in his head,

“You were akumatized.” Chat replied soothingly. “It is okay, something made you sad or angry or desperate.” He tried to soothe the most recent victim of Hawk Moth, the man looked lost and confused for a moment until something clicked in his head.

“Oh, aren’t you that director who made the cartoon about Ladybug and Chat Noir?” Ladybug inquired. She recognized him easily after he got akumatized on the premiere of his previous film, that was a cartoon of Ladybug and Chat Noir.

“Yeah, you know who I am?” The Director was pleased, he smiled widely, he was never recognized, never considered famous, and often ignored and overlooked at events, so when Ladybug, the hero of Paris, recognized him, his mood was instantly better.

“Of course.” Ladybug smiled. She remembered rather vividly the first occasion when the same director was akumatized. She wasn’t going to forget that any time soon. Including the part that Adrien took Kagami for a date on the premiere and how Chloe persuaded her to make a prank on Kagami.

“Aren’t you making a film with actors now?” Chat asked with an agenda on his mind. He had an opportunity to talk to the film director without his father or Nathalie present, never mind that he wasn’t Adrien at the time, perhaps it was even better, because he was Chat Noir!

“Yes … well how did you know that? It is not public yet, still collecting the crew and no permits yet.” The director was surprised again, he grinned widely, his mood entirely different from the moment when he got akumatized.

“Let’s say … “ Chat Noir looked towards Ladybug, there was no way for him to hide his identity if he admitted the truth. “I have my own sources of information.” He smirked and observed how Ladybug rolled her eyes at his words, because she thought how he bragged, but it was fine, she accepted it, he did know about the film before anyone else.

“What happened? How did you get akumatized?” Ladybug asked the director.

“Well, I had this idea for a film, with the heroes and their secret identities unknown, even to each other, and they are in love with each other, but not really know it … “ The director explained animatedly all his ideas for the film. “And she is really cute and clumsy in real life and he is much more subdued that the hero ...”

Ladybug blushed and coughed at the first sentence.

Chat Noir grinned widely at the love part and looked at Ladybug.

She got flustered even more, and the civilian part of the story was too close to her real life.

“But now I have to adjust the story so the villains are related to Chat Noir, Hawk Moth and Mayura are his parents or something … “ The director continued to explain how the Bourgeois family pressed him to adjust the story.

Chat Noir froze in spot.

“Then I need permits to film it in Paris and then I had to take his wife as a producer and advisor on cinematography and costumes the producer wants to make in art film and do it in black and white. I just got a designer who is able to create all the ridiculous akuma outfits ….” The man continued to talk.

“Who will act our roles?” Ladybug asked with a smile although her earrings were already giving out a warning.

“I was lucky for his part, well I’m pressed to use the same boy who did the voice acting in the cartoon, but he could really fit the part, I saw the audition clips of that ill fated Clara Nightingale video … but I’m really not in the mood any more to do any of that.” He finished.

Chat deflated and Ladybug frowned at him. He felt desperate, so he was about to act Chat Noir in the film, the director was obviously informed before anyone even told Adrien anything about that, let alone asked him, and he saw no way to do that and still keep his identity concealed, not after this, he was lucky to escape the audition for the Clara Nightingale music video undetected.

“What? I think Adrien did your voice acting rather well, maybe even better than you speak yourself.” Ladybug crossed her arms. (And it is intended to sound as stupid as it sounds).

Chat smiled wistfully, at least Ladybug watched the film and appreciated his performance, his civilian performance, of himself, yeah, he should really find a way out of this one.

“Perhaps he doesn’t want to act in the film? Or maybe I don’t want him to act my part?” Chat offered. He hoped that maybe him, Chat Noir, the hero of Paris, might select someone else to play his part and free himself, his civilian self, of that chore, and keep his identity hidden.

“What? I thought you’d be thrilled for someone like him to act your part?” Ladybug countered. “Are you afraid he’d look better than you in that suit?” She raised her chin and glared at her partner. But her cheeks were becoming more and more pink with each word as she praised the looks of her crush.

“Nah, definitely not, I saw him in the suit in that audition for the Clara Nightingale video. I look way better than him.” And Chat assumed a pose that was supposed to be seductive, but was in fact so silly that Ladybug started to laugh, but then she quickly straightened up and was ready to retort.

“Definitely yes! Because I saw those clips too!” She was there, right in front of him. “And that suit fitted him so fine … “ Did she just sigh dreamily? She quickly got herself back to reality. “Way better than on you, it doesn’t even look that silly … “

“Nah, it was him who looked silly in that suit.” Chat waved his hand to dismiss the idea. “But that girl who was chosen at the audition to play your part ...” He grinned and leaned into her space. Ladybug hitched a breath, was it her he was talking about? But then she smirked.

“Oh you mean Chloe?” She teased.

“No, it wasn’t her who was chosen to play your part, it was Marinette!” Chat responded quickly. Ladybug flinched back at the force of his reply. “And I know you know it and she would be perfect for the role!” He added and Ladybug was even more confused.

“Marinette?” The director asked.

“Yeah, Marinette Dupain Cheng.” Chat Noir elaborated.

“Perhaps I should ask her to do the role of Ladybug in the film?” The man pondered.

“No!” Ladybug protested.

“What? Yes!” Chat protested back. He was tempted to accept the role of Chat Noir, maybe it would be fun to play a hero side by side with Marinette. “She would be amazing playing your role she … “ He wanted to remind Ladybug about Multimouse, but the director was still there, although so deep in his own thoughts and worries that maybe he wouldn’t even notice.

“No no no no no!” Ladybug protested and flailed her hands everywhere helplessly, this wasn’t happening, she wasn’t taking the role in the film, she wasn’t going to be playing Ladybug, herself, because her identity was to be revealed, although, if she was going to play side by side with Adrien … then maybe? No no no no no.

“Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! And Yes!” Chat shot right back swiftly, he was more and more invested into it, he wanted Marinette to play the part of Ladybug, because he knew he had little chance to avoid it himself, but at least this way he had a chance to chose who was going to play the other role.

“No but she is so clumsy!” Ladybug protested.

“What? No! I mean she can be clumsy sometimes, but so are you.” Chat replied.

“That would be perfect for the role actually.” The director noted casually.

The two heroes were standing face to face.

“Okay! Okay! Okay! She isn’t _that_ clumsy … “ Ladybug quickly took back her words, she had to make herself unsuitable for the role somehow. If she only could think of something wrong with herself. Actually she had plenty of material, she was, in fact, rather well informed of all her flaws.

“See I told you!” Chat grinned. “She would be perfect to play your part.”

“Ugh.” Ladybug groaned, the way her partner smiled when he looked at her and talked about Marinette.

“She is amazing, Ladybug, she is talented and creative and determined and brave she would make an excellent superhero.” He leaned in and spoke the last few words quietly. No, he did not mention Multimouse but he was certain that Ladybug understood.

Ladybug understood only that Chat really appreciated her civilian self, maybe even a bit too much considering how little time Chat actually spent with her, it was a bit short to impress him, besides … what was she thinking? She has to find a way out of this mess!

“You know, I might accept for that model boy to play my part if you accept Marinette to play yours.” Chat tried to negotiate.

Ladybug was lost for words, her and Adrien playing the parts of Ladybug and Chat Noir in a whole feature film? No way … or maybe yes? Her mind was full of pink bubbles when her earrings released their last warning and launched her back to reality.

“I’ll give him credit.” Chat Noir rambled about Adrien. “For playing my part in the audition for the video and my voice in the cartoon, but … “ He made a dramatic pose.

“Cartoon!” Ladybug exclaimed. “Why don’t you make it another cartoon? You don’t need so many permits or anything ...”

“Cartoon?” The director pondered.

“Yes, gotta go, bug out!” Ladybug launched her yoyo. She was barely out of sight when her transformation dropped.

“You know … “ Chat Noir took in a deep breath. “My Lady is right, as usual.” He grinned. “Perhaps you should really make it a cartoon again, you will avoid all those complications with auditions and actors and locations and light and … “

“You seem to know a lot about this business … “ The director trailed off.

Chat shook his head and his ring beeped.

“Sorry, I got to go to before I turn into a pumpkin!” Chat took a step back, gave a two finger salute and then vaulted away.

“A cartoon, hm ...” The director pondered as he walked in the direction of the city hall. “Another cartoon … I did that before, I know how to do that … why not?” He shrugged and started to walk faster.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!


End file.
